Aftermarket front bumpers and air bag systems

[offthebeatenpath]

So I thought I'd throw this out there to the www and see what kind of a response it gets-

I know that ARB bumpers are advertised to work in conjunction with factory air bag systems.

Can someone explain to me how that works?

Are there any other aftermarket bumper manufacturers that even mention air bag systems?

[enzo]

I'm pretty sure ARB has that info on their site. I don't know of any other airbag compatible bumpers.

[TACODOC]

Everything you want to know is on my site in the ARB bull bar page.

[Utah KJ]

I believe that the bumper "gives" in a heavy collison and doesn't set off the airbag prematurely like other solid bumpers can. In other words, the airbag can be set off in a lesser accident with a solid bumper. Airbag compliant is not important until your insurance company tells you to eff off when you ask them to pay the bill for new airbags.

[Mrknowitall]

Airbag compliant is not important until your insurance company tells you to eff off when you ask them to pay the bill for new airbags.

Have you actually known this to happen? If so, how did that play out?

[1911]

All it means is that ARB has spent the money to have their bumpers crash tested, and most (all?) other bumper manufacturers have not.

The airbag deployment sensors are not in the bumper, they are behind it somewhere (on the frame?), so no aftermarket bumper will directly interfere with the deployment of the airbags - the question is, how do different bumpers transfer energy through to the sensors versus the way the stock bumper does? Having personally removed a ton of stock FJC bumpers and replaced them with various aftermarket ones, I'm guessing there is not much difference, but to an automotive engineer maybe it is a big difference for all I know. I'm not losing any sleep over the Demello bumper on mine in any event; it has proven it's worth over the stock bumper many times in the last five years and 130,000 miles.

[offthebeatenpath]

I believe that the bumper "gives" in a heavy collison and doesn't set off the airbag prematurely like other solid bumpers can. In other words, the airbag can be set off in a lesser accident with a solid bumper.

The airbag deployment sensors are not in the bumper, they are behind it somewhere (on the frame?), so no aftermarket bumper will directly interfere with the deployment of the airbags - the question is, how do different bumpers transfer energy through to the sensors versus the way the stock bumper does?

I guess these two statements are a much more articulated form of my initial question.
Yes, I get that a bumper such as your Demello will infer less body damage to my Taco in minor collisions, but how would it interfere with the SRS system in a more major collision where the air bags should/would be set off?

Would it cause the air bags to be set off prematurely or too late? Or is that just a big fat unknown which ARB is addressing by stating that their bumpers don't interfere with SRS systems?

[offthebeatenpath]

Here's the statement off of ARB's website:

AIR BAG COMPATIBILITY

With an air bag equipped 4x4 it is essential that the vehicle's crush rate and air bag triggering is not altered when a bull bar is installed. To ensure compatibility, ARB assesses each vehicle's frontal crush characteristics and replicates the crush rate into the design of each air bag compatible bull bar and its mounting system. This method enables engineers to achieve maximum possible vehicle and passenger protection without affecting the crash pulse. ARB has invested heavily in vehicle crash barrier tests to validate the performance and compliance of its air bag compatible bull bars, and as a consequence, our bars offer a far greater level of protection than most standard brush guards and grille guards.

Please note that a few of the bumpers for older model vehicles are not air-bag compatible, refer to the Vehicle Application Guide for confirmation.

[1911]

Yes, I get that a bumper such as your Demello will infer less body damage to my Taco in minor collisions, but how would it interfere with the SRS system in a more major collision where the air bags should/would be set off?

I couldn't say, since I've never been in a major collision with mine. My inference of value is simply from the number of times my aftermarket bumper has saved me from trail rash and from being stuck, versus the odds of being in a major collision on the road (apparently quite low in my case). I like the every-day usefulness of a good steel bumper and I'm willing to accept the (minimally?) greater odds of something possibly imperfect in the SRS system as a trade-off.

Would it cause the air bags to be set off prematurely or too late? Or is that just a big fat unknown which ARB is addressing by stating that their bumpers don't interfere with SRS systems?

For most of us I think it is a big fat unknown, but I'm willing to give ARB the benefit of the doubt up to a point, if they've really done more homework and testing than other folks and it's not just a marketing ploy.

Here's the statement off of ARB's website:

AIR BAG COMPATIBILITY

... To ensure compatibility, ARB assesses each vehicle's frontal crush characteristics and replicates the crush rate into the design of each air bag compatible bull bar and its mounting system. ...

Personally, I find this a little hard to believe, though I am just an old mechanic, not an automotive engineer. The stock Toyota FJC front bumper is just a sheet metal box bolted to the frame, and covered by plastic and air. On the other hand, the ARB bumper is one of the heaviest (ergo with the most steel) in the whole aftermarket industry. No doubt in my mind that it is a quality piece, but I also don't see how it could possibly "replicate the crush rate" of the stock plastic, air, and sheet metal.

[Rotorgeek]

Here's the statement off of ARB's website:

AIR BAG COMPATIBILITY

With an air bag equipped 4x4 it is essential that the vehicle's crush rate and air bag triggering is not altered when a bull bar is installed.

Why do I read this as "Our bumper provides no additonal strength or protection than the stock bumper."